With 5 minutes between each class, I hardly had time to get all materials out that the students needed. So I devised a plan of action that I learned at the NAEA Conference in New Orleans that would help me save time and teach students responsibility.

ART HELPERS!!

Many of you probably already use them. I find it so fascinating how kids never like to clean their room. But cleaning up at school is the coolest thing!!

Works for me :)

I put labels on the back of all my chairs. This year's theme is "Wild about Art". So I chose animal names. The word Zebra is on the back of the chairs in this picture. The word Monkey is on the back of the chairs on the other side of the table. I also label with a number.

Example: Zebra 1 and Zebra 2

"Zebra 1s, please pick up a basket of crayons for your table

Zebra 2s, get paper for each person at your table"

and same at cleanup time.

I have a sign in my room that posts the Art helpers. They change monthly and students never have to ask "who are the helpers?"

This system has made my teaching so much easier! And the students love it!

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comments:

I LOVE this idea. But I have stools with no backs, so I'll have to figure out how to revise it. My son went to South Africa recently and was on a safari, so I was thinking about an African animal theme in my room. Is it OK if I steal the phrase "Wild About Art?"

I used to do a version of this, but with colored dots on palettes. I made 6 palette shape cards for each class, one for each table. Then I put 4 different colored dots on the cards, with each dot a different job. Whew...I did all that?!!! Yep, and my classes worked wonderfully. THEN my classes grew to 32 with 10 classes in each grade lever...Whew again! I had to drop the cards, so I put the dots on the chairs...worked beautifully for a bit. Now I am down to just calling for helpers...no dots, cards or anything. Those palette job cards helped me with students' names, schedules, and teachers' names. I may try your version...it might work for my larger classes. I don't always have a yearly theme, but most years I do. I could just use art terms maybe. Thanks for this, I have missed my more organized room...I will try this next year! OOoooooOoo I am long winded:-)

About Me

Becca Ruth

Welcome to my blog. I teach High School Visual Arts 1, 2, 3, and AP Studio Art in Columbia, TN. My past art teaching experiences have been PreK - 8. I believe we must work and share together to become better teachers. My goal is to help other teachers, grow in their professions.